Expansion hanger device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a device for hanging frames or fixtures to a dry wall of a building. More particularly the device comprises a body portion which is inserted into a suitable aperture of a relatively thin, dry wall and expanded there behind, by an insertion of a unique plug portion. Lastly, a conventional screw or other suitable hanger element is inserted into said plug portion for holding a fixture thereto.

llnite staleS Patent 1 Vitkevich EXPANSION HANGER DEVICE [76] Inventor:John A. Vitkevich, 57 Griduy St., West lslip, NY.

[22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 198,371

[52] US. Cl. 85/73, 85/84 [51] Int. Cl. F16b 13/06 [58] Field of Search85/73, 74, 75, 76,

85/80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 26, 77, 78, 72; 24/73 PF, 73 PM, 73 P [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,144 2/1951 Kearns 85/723,144,695 8/1964 Budwig 85/84 3,276,309 10/1966 Engstrom 85/85 3,417,43812/1968 Schuplin 24/73 PF June 19, 1973 3,434,746 3/1969 Watts 85/823,469,493 9/1969 Fisher 85/80 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 18,1908/1913 Great Britain 85/83 1,076,504 5/1967 Great Britain 85/72 PrimaryExaminer Marion Parsons, Jr. Attorney-Frank Makara [57] ABSTRACT Thisinvention relates to a device for hanging frames or fixtures to a drywall of a building. More particularly the device comprises a bodyportion which is inserted into a suitable aperture of a relatively thin,dry wall and expanded there behind, by an insertion ofa unique plugportion. Lastly, a conventional screw or other suitable hanger elementis inserted into said plug portion for holding a fixture thereto.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures Patented June 19, 1973 3,739,684

35 MMEEQEMM.

INVENTQR JOHN A. VITKEVIQH EXPANSION HANGER DEVICE It is an objective ofthis invention to provide an inexpensive device for rapid insertion intoan aperture of a dry wall, and to be locked in place thereto, said plugbeing adapted to recieve a metal screw or like element FIG. 20 is a viewof the inserted end of said body por-' tron, r

FIG. 3a is an end view of the fixture receiving end of the insertableplug portion,

FIG. 3b is a side view of the plug portion,

FIG. 30 is a view of the insertable end of said plug, and

FIG. 4 is a section view of the plug inserted in the body portion in anaperture of a dry wall and having a fixture receiving screw inserted insaid plug.

As a statement of this invention, the device consists of two elements,an expandable body portion, and a coacting plug portion. An importantfeature of this invention is the locking concept of the body portion tothe. inner surface of the dry wall and the locking engagement and thelocking concept of the plug portion to said body portion to effect theover-all locking of the device to the dry wall.

Turning to thedrawing, a body portion 10, preferably of plasticmaterial, is provided with a, co-acting, preferably plastic plug portion11 and, a co-acting hanger element 12 adapted to receive or secure afixture thereto.

The body portion 10, is of cylindrical construction, having a flangeportion '13 of largest diameter, and. adapted to seat against: theexposed surface 14 of the dry wall 15 (FIG. 4). The flange portion 13,is molded integrally with an insertable lesser diameter portion, andinserted into the dry wall 15. Acylindrical front cavity 16, is moldedin the front or flange end of the body portion 10, and is of asubstantially large diameter. Said cavity 16, communicates with a rearcylindrical cavity 17, to provide a tunnel aperture of two diameters insaid body portion, separated by an interior vertically disposed wall 18(FIG. 2b).

The insertable end of the body portion 10, is provided with four slots19, to produce four quadrant portions 20, adapted to be outwardly, andangularly disposed lockingly to the inner surface 21 of the dry wall 15upon actuation by the inserted plug portion 11 (FIG. 4). The flangecircular portion 13 is provided with a suitably wide anddeep parallelwall channel hav-- ing the depth of walls 22. The slots 19, extend intothe body portion 10 beyond wall 18, in order to provide predeterminedand suitable locking flexibility to said body portion.

Turning now to the insertableplug portion 11, said plug portion 11 isprovided with generally cylindricalconstruction integral with atruncated flange portion 30 having parallel disposed side walls 31. Thelength of the plugll is substantially that of the body portion 11 andthe cylindrical surface 32 thereof adapted to mate with the surface ofthe cavity 16. The cylindrical surface 32 of the plug 11 is providedwith a circular channel 33 adapted to receive the circular peripheraledges 34 of the quadrant portions of the body portion 10 (FIG. 4) incaptive relationship.

The parallel walls 31 of the flange 30 of the plug 11 mates with thewalls 22 of the flange 13 of the body portion 10. Thus, the flange 30 ofthe plug 11 is seated in the receiving channel 22 in the flange 13 ofthe body portion 10, to prevent rotation of the plug 11 in said bodyportion 10, upon inserting the screw 12. The interior of the plugportion 1 1, is preferably provided with molded-in-place threads shownin dotted outline 35 (FIG. 3b), to better receive the threads of theco-acting screw 12. The inner or rear portion away from the flange 30 ofthe plug portion 11 is provided with conical nose portions 36 adapted toslidingly engage the peripheral edges 34 of the quadrant portions 20 toguide them into the channel 33. The nose cone portions 36 are separatedby slot 37 dividing them into the equal and opposed sections adapted tobe outwardly and divergently actuated by the conical portion of thescrew 12. The plug portion 11 is further provided preferably with aninner wall 38 on each of its nose cone portions 36.

In the operation of the device of this invention the relatively thinwall 15 is drilled with a drill of suitable diameter to receive thediametrical surface 13X of the plug portion 10 in snug frictionalseizure relationship (FIG. 4). Next the plug portion 11 is pushed ortapped into the body portion 10, to slidingly engage the nose coneportion 36 to fall into the channel 33 to lock the plug portion 11 tothe body portion 10 with the flange 30 of said plug portion disposed inchannel 22 of the body portion.

This insertion of plug portion 11 forces the four body quadrant portions20 to flare outwardly behind the inner surface 21 of the wall 15, toimmovably lock the body portion 10 to said wall 15.

The insertion of the metal screw 12 similarly forces the two nose coneportions 36, to flare outwardly to additionally force the quadrantportions 20 to greater pressure, locking engagement with the inner wallsurface 21.

I claim:

1. A two piece flexible material hanger device comprising a hollow bodyportion and a hollow plug portion, said plug portion adapted to receivea hanger to hold a fixture thereto and being insertable into a receivingcylindrical aperture defined by a relatively thin wall of said bodyportion, comprising an integral cylindrical tubular portion frictionallyinsertable into said cylindrical aperture defined by said thin wall inseizure relationship thereto, said body portion having a front endhaving a circular flange of a diameter greater than said insertablecylindrical tubular portion of said plug portion, said flange having achannel thereacross, said body portion having said cylindrical aperturetherethrough, said aperture having a front cavity of larger diametercommunicating with a rear cavity of lesser diameter and forming avertical wall between said cavities having a peripheral edge, said bodyportion having at the rear end four quadrant portions separated by fourrespective slots extending suitably into said cylindrical aperture; andan integral cylindrical tubular plug portion having an exteriorcylindrical surface mateable with the surface of said larger cavity ofsaid cylindrical aperture, said plug having a truncated flange at itsfront tionship whereby forced insertion of said plug portion in saidbody portion forces outwardly and lockingly said quadrants of said bodyportion behind said wall and with said truncated flange of said plugportion being non-rotatably seated in the channel of said flange of saidbody portion.

1. A two piece flexible material hanger device comprising a hollow bodyportion and a hollow plug portion, said plug portion adapted to receivea hanger to hold a fixture thereto and being insertable into a receivingcylindrical aperture defined by a relatively thin wall of said bodyportion, comprising an integral cylindrical tubular portion frictionallyinsertable into said cylindrical aperture defined by said thin wall inseizure relationship thereto, said body portion having a front endhaving a circular flange of a diameter greater than said insertablecylindrical tubular portion of said plug portion, said flange having achannel thereacross, said body portion having said cylindrical aperturetherethrough, said aperture having a front cavity of larger diametercommunicating with a rear cavity of lesser diameter and forming avertical wall between said cavities having a peripheral edge, said bodyportion having at the rear end four quadrant portions separated by fourrespective slots extending suitably into said cylindrical aperture; andan integral cylindrical tubular plug portion having an exteriorcylindrical surface mateable with the surface of said larger cavity ofsaid cylindrical aperture, said plug having a truncated flange at itsfront end having parallel side walls and adapted to seat in said channelof the flange of said body portion, said plug portion partly separatedinto two opposed portions by a slot therebetween, said cylindricalsurFace of said plug portion having an external circular channel thereinadapted to receive said peripheral edges of said cylindrical aperture ofsaid body portion in locked relationship whereby forced insertion ofsaid plug portion in said body portion forces outwardly and lockinglysaid quadrants of said body portion behind said wall and with saidtruncated flange of said plug portion being non-rotatably seated in thechannel of said flange of said body portion.